Sesame Ginger Dressing

This sesame ginger dressing is an easy way to jazz up any salad or bowl! It's nutty, savory, and a little sweet, with a delicious smooth and creamy texture.

Sesame ginger dressing

If you’re looking for an easy way to liven up your weekly meal prep or lunch routine, this sesame ginger dressing is exactly what you need! It’s nutty, savory, and a little sweet, with a refreshing kick from the ginger. Versatile and delicious, it’s the sort of sauce I love to keep on hand in the fridge. It lasts for days, and it will transform the simplest green salad into an irresistible meal.

Sesame dressing recipe ingredients

Sesame Ginger Dressing Recipe Ingredients

Another thing I love about this sesame ginger dressing? You can make it with 7 basic ingredients:

  • Tahini – Made from ground sesame seeds, tahini gives the dressing a lightly creamy texture and nutty flavor. Be sure to use really smooth, runny tahini for this recipe, and to avoid the dry, stiff stuff you might find at the bottom of a jar. You don’t want your dressing to be chunky!
  • Toasted sesame oil – It makes this sesame dressing rich, bold, and nutty.
  • Rice vinegar – For tang.
  • Tamari or soy sauce – It gives the dressing a deep savory flavor. Make sure to use tamari if you need the dressing to be gluten-free!
  • Fresh ginger – For kick! I love the ginger’s refreshing flavor in this recipe.
  • Maple syrup or honey – To balance the salty tamari and punchy vinegar.
  • And a little water – Add a tablespoon at a time, as needed, to reach your desired consistency.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Hands whisking together ingredients in small bowl

In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients, and whisk until smooth. It’ll take some stirring for the tahini to fully incorporate with the oil, vinegar, and tamari, but just keep going! You’ll have a creamy, nutty sesame ginger dressing in no time.

If your dressing is too thick, add a little water to thin it to your desired consistency. Enjoy!

Hands whisking ginger salad dressing in small bowl

How to Use Sesame Ginger Dressing

This sesame ginger dressing is a super easy way to amp up the flavor in any salad or bowl! Try tossing it with my Sweet Potato Salad, Kale Salad, Asian Slaw, or Citrus Cabbage Salad. It would also be fantastic on any of these bowl recipes:

Alternatively, make your own bowl! Start with a cooked grain. White rice, brown rice, black rice, and quinoa would all be excellent with this dressing. Then, add a protein like baked tofu, tempeh, or roasted chickpeas. Pile on veggies like fresh greens, radishes, or carrots, roasted broccoli, or butternut squash, and tie it all together with the sesame ginger dressing!

If you have any sauce leftover, use it on another salad or bowl, or drizzle it over simply cooked veggies. We love it on sautéed broccoli, roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted asparagus, sautéed kale, and roasted sweet potatoes.

Sesame ginger dressing recipe

More Favorite Dressings and Sauces

If you love this sesame ginger dressing recipe, try one of these delicious dressings or sauces next:

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Sesame Ginger Dressing

rate this recipe:
4.95 from 20 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
You're going to want to drizzle this sesame ginger dressing over everything! Nutty, savory, and slightly sweet, it's fantastic on salads, noodles, and more.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons smooth tahini*
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • 1 heaping teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons water, more if needed

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, sesame oil, vinegar, tamari, ginger, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon water until smooth.
  • If the dressing is too thick, add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons water until it’s a drizzleable consistency.

Notes

*For the best results, use a really smooth, runny tahini, not the dry, stiff part that you might find at the bottom of a jar. Tahini's consistency can also vary from brand to brand; my favorites are Soom, Cedar’s, Trader Joe’s, and Seed+Mill.

27 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Andrea
    10.24.2022

    5 stars
    I just made this along with the squash, and it was fantastic. Great recipe(s)!!

    • Phoebe Moore
      10.28.2022

      We’re so glad you enjoyed them!

  2. Jacalyn
    08.18.2022

    5 stars
    Quick, easy and delicious! Tastes just like my favourite restaurant’s dressing. Thank you…

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.19.2022

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  3. Cary
    05.02.2022

    Hi Jeanine,

    I’d like to try this….sounds great! Would it be possible for you to post the nutrition info per tablespoon: fat, carbs and protein mainly?

    Thanks very much!

    Cary

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.04.2022

      Hi Cary, I’m sorry, we don’t calculate nutrition info but you can plug the ingredients into a site like my fitness pal.

  4. Lucia
    04.26.2022

    5 stars
    Delish and simple. Made it for a salad I topped with grilled jumbo shrimp. Perfect!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.27.2022

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  5. John
    12.23.2021

    5 stars
    Very interesting dressing to go over baked winter squash. Simple to make and flavor that balances the sweet squash perfectly. I made it a day ahead to let the ginger flavor blend well. Much improved after a sit. I see much more of this dressing in my future. Thanks

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.24.2021

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it.

  6. Julie
    09.04.2021

    4 stars
    I just made this and it is way too thick. I guess after stirring the tahini it got to thick. Organics brand at Vons… I’ll try adding more water…

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      09.04.2021

      Hi Julie, brands can vary, just stir in some water until you reach your desired consistency.

    • Terry
      10.22.2022

      I found a trick for tahini. When I open a fresh container I put it in food processor and process until it is smooth. . Pour into the container and store in fridge. Keeps it smooth for a very long time.

  7. Theresa
    04.27.2021

    5 stars
    I made this, and really like it.

    I feel bad for anyone/everyone that has the ‘hard dried bits at the bottom’ of their jars of tahini😞. I have never experienced that malady, I can only imagine that it’s awful.

    I made it again with some variations:

    -Organic apple cider vinegar instead of rice vinegar.

    -Bragg’s Liquid Aminos instead of tamari

    -1 Tablespoon of fresh grated ginger instead of 1 teaspoon.

    And
    -1 heaping teaspoon of zest of lemon.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.28.2021

      ha, well it sounds like you get really good tahini! :). I’m glad you enjoyed the dressing.

  8. Elizabeth from livinghealthyinseattle.com
    01.26.2021

    5 stars
    This was really good! I wanted to try a new sesame sauce for noodles and this recipe worked perfectly. I just used 1 tablespoon of water and added a little more maple syrup because it was a tad too bitter/sour for me… which I know can vary depending on brands of ingredients used. I tossed about half of the sauce with soba noodles along with steamed broccoli, edamame, grated raw carrot, diced red bell pepper, fresh mixed greens, chopped chives, seasoned sesame seeds and red pepper flakes. It was great! I might use the rest of the sauce as a salad dressing with similar ingredients, swapping in avocado for the noodles. Thanks for the tasty recipe!

  9. Michelle
    01.24.2021

    Any way to make it without the oil? Thanks

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.25.2021

      You can add water in it’s place.

  10. Alexis
    01.17.2021

    Could you make a bigger batch and freeze some of it?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.18.2021

      Hi Alexis, I haven’t tried freezing it, I think it would be fine.

  11. Lisa
    01.14.2021

    Hello! My I ask,,,Where is your clear cup from? Thanks for the recipe!!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.14.2021

      It’s a tulip Weck jar – you can find them on amazon (and other places).

  12. Dayzie from Www.dayanmoore.com
    01.14.2021

    5 stars
    I’ve been making this style of dressing for years and it’s always a hit! I also love putting in fresh lime juice and carrots then putting it in the food processor… it makes a nice think sauce or dressing without adding more fat.
    LOVE you LOVE and Lemons!!!
    Xo Day

    • Debbie
      01.17.2021

      Could you use peanut butter or almond butter instead of tahini?

      • Jeanine Donofrio
        01.17.2021

        Yep, I think that would be great! Depending on your nut butter’s consistency you may have to stir in extra water.

      • Dayzie
        01.17.2021

        Absolutely! I’ve used cashew butter before and it was delicious. Almond butter might be a bit gritty but still super tasty.

        • Debbie
          01.17.2021

          Thanks ladies! I’ve tried, but just don’t care for Tahini. Will try the cashew butter.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.